Child Life Services

Certified Child Life Specialists at Loyola University Medical Center

Loyola Medicine recognizes the stressors and impact a hospital stay can have on a child. Certified Child Life Specialists are clinically trained professionals and experts in child development who support pediatric patients and their families during hospitalization. As part of Loyola’s pediatric services, Certified Child Life Specialists provide opportunities for your child to have a positive experience and lessen their fear of coming to the hospital.

Certified Child Life Specialists integrate various interventions aimed toward decreasing stress and increasing coping. Loyola’s faculty and staff recognize that a medical emergency or a trip to the hospital can be an extremely difficult experience for a child. This support service is one component of Loyola’s commitment to treating the mind, body and spirit.

Certified Child Life Specialists are trained to:

• Provide procedural preparation, education, and distraction during all forms of medical tests and procedures
• Integrate play to help normalize the hospital environment and meet each child’s individualized developmental needs
• Guide developmentally appropriate discussions related to illness, diagnosis, and hospital experiences
• Navigate stressors and meet the sensory needs of all children.

Where to find Child Life Services at Loyola

Loyola’s Child Life staff consists of four Certified Child Life Specialists who provide support to our pediatric patients and families. Child Life is located within these areas of Loyola:

• Inpatient General Pediatrics
• Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
• Burn Intensive Care Unit (BICU)

Our Child Life team can be consulted to provide support to other inpatient and outpatient areas. This can include support for children within different pediatric areas, including Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Surgical Services, Pediatric Outpatient Clinics, Radiology, and the Emergency Department.

Why Choose Loyola for Child Life Services?

Our Certified Child Life Specialists coordinate various special events and programming to brighten children's day during their hospitalization. This helps promote positive experiences, and outcomes for your children Programs include:

• Pet Therapy (Monday afternoons)
• Open Heart Magic
• Jen’s Kids Art Volunteers
• Holiday Heroes
• Parties with Characters
• Big Buddies Volunteers (Loyola University Medical Students)

How to Support Loyola’s Child Life Program

Donations of toys and activities play a crucial role in helping our program provide essential support, ensuring that pediatric patients and their families feel safe and cared for during their hospitalization.

Visit our Amazon Wish List to browse items needed to continue to provide toys and other developmentally appropriate activities and resources for our children throughout the year.

To learn more about donations and support the child life program please call the child life office at (708) 216-3161. Thank you for your support!

Caring for the Human Spirit

We hope you will feel comfortable asking for any support you may need. Loyola is committed to supporting the families of our pediatric patients undergoing treatment for a wide range of conditions and diagnoses. We want you to know that your child’s healthcare team will address all of your concerns and make your child’s care our number one priority.

To learn about the Child Life program and its services, please call (708) 216-3161.

Meet our Child Life Team!

Molly Briody, MS, CCLS
Lead Certified Child Life Specialist 

Michelle Springer, MS, CCLS 
Certified Child Life Specialist 

Emily Jost, MS, CCLS 
Certified Child life Specialist 

Erin Jasper, MS, CCLS 
Certified Child Life Specialist